|
Athletic Mats
B
C
D
Garments - Lightweight
H
Leather - Lightweight - Most Popular
|
Nylon Thread Buying Guide
With nylon thread selection, understanding terminology, uses, limitations, and sizes are some of the most important considerations in order to ensure the best choice possible.
Nylon thread is a great choice for sewing fabric, leather, canvas, and vinyl. We sell nylon thread in eleven sizes that range from hair-thin to cord-like. Our Use by Size Guide shows more details about selcting the best sizes or possibly better suited types of thread to use. This chart shows a list of some of the most popular uses for nylon thread.
Nylon thread is popular because of its versatility, durability, and strength to size. There are applications where other types of thread may be better suited depending on the conditions the end use will be under. This chart shows the most notable circumstances.
Nylon Thread Properties
Elongation - Nylon thread stretches about 26% over time. This is beneficial for its end use, because it allows for the seams to stretch with the fabric, allowing for 'breaking in'. For activewear and lighter materials,
Woolly Nylon thread has a greater stretch. It is categorized separate from the nylon on this page as a serger thread.
Kevlar Thread has about a 2% stretch.
Mildew, Aging, and Sunlight - Nylon thread has excellent resistance to mildew and aging, but prolonged exposure to sunlight causes some deterioration. Polyester or specially treated UVR Nylon are better for long-term exposure to sunlight. If seams are not exposed, nylon is usually okay.
Abrasion - Nylon Thread has excellent abrasion resistance.
Heat - Nylon thread will begin to yellow at around 300F. Prolonged exposure to temperatures over 285F will cause deterioration. Nylon thread begins to stick at approximately 445F, and melt at around 485 to 500F.
Nylon Thread Sizing
Overview -
Thread size is important because there are many considerations. The main ones are: Machine Capability - Home, commercial and heavy duty sewing machines have different thread and needle size limitations. Needle Size - Needles have sizes that are best suited for specific thread sizes and machine types. Stitch Appearance
- Are you looking for stitching to be inconspicuous, noticeable, very noticeable, or to be a focal point? Strength - Is the thread a suitable strength for what is being sewn?
When nylon thread's size increases...
Leather ounce per yard increases.
Yards per pound decreases.
Nylon Thread Size Descriptions
Use the nylon by size description chart to determine machine capability. Home, commercial and heavy duty sewing machines have different thread and needle size limitations. This chart also describes in general way, the level of stitch visibility, and notes that are relevant to size.
Nylon - Size 15
Size 15 (Tex 16) nylon is an ultra lightweight thread used on home and commercial machines with a size 70/10 to 80/12 needle. Its stitch appearance is inconspicuous.
All size 15 items are soft, and on clearance. Alternatives may be available in Polyester Thread,
Cotton and
Spun Polyester.
Nylon - Size 33
Size 33 (Tex 30) nylon is a
lightweight thread used on home and commercial machines with a size 80/12 to 90/14 needle.
Its stitch appearance is inconspicuous. Most colors are on clearance, but black and white are standard. Nylon - Size 46
Size 46 (Tex 45) nylon is a lightweight thread used on home and commercial machines with a size
90/14 to 100/16 needle. Its stitch appearance is inconspicuous. It is available in about 90 colors. Nylon - Size 69
Size 69 (Tex 70) is a middleweight thread used on home and commercial machines with a size
100/16 to 110 /18 needle. Its stitch appearance is inconspicuous, becoming more noticeable. It is our most popular size. It is the thickest size most home sewing machines can handle, and it is available in over 160 colors. Nylon - Size 92
Size 92 (Tex 90) is a middleweight thread used on commercial machines with a size
110/18 to 125/20 needle. Its stitch appearance is noticeable. Most people cannot break a size 92 nylon by hand. It is available in about 80 colors. Nylon - Size 138
Size 138 (Tex 135) is a middle to heavyweight thread used on commercial and heavy duty machines with a size
125/20 to 140/22 needle. Its stitch appearance is noticeable, beginning to stand out. It is our second most popular size, and it is available in over 120 colors. Nylon - Size 207
Size 207 (Tex 210) is a heavyweight thread used on commercial and heavy duty machines with a size
140/22 to 180/24 needle. Its stitch appearance stands out. It is available in mostly basic colors.
Nylon - Size 277
Size 277 (Tex 270) is a heavyweight thread used on commercial and heavy duty machines with a size
180/24 to 220/26 needle. Its stitch appearance stands out, becoming more of a focal point. It is available in very basic colors.
Nylon - Size 346
Size 346 (Tex 350) is a heavyweight thread used on heavy duty machines with a size
220/26 to 260/28 needle. Its stitch appearance is a focal point. It is available in black, white, brown, and in some closeout colors. Nylon - Size 415
Size 415 (Tex 410) is a heavyweight thread used on heavy duty machines with a size
260/28 to 330/30 needle. Its stitch appearance is a focal point. It is available in black, white, and in some closeout colors. Nylon - Size 554
Size 554 (Tex 600) is an ultra heavyweight thread used on heavy duty machines with a size
330/30 to 360/32 needle. Its stitch appearance is a focal point. It is available in black and white, and is about 1 mm thick.
Commercial sizing is most widely used thread size standard. Our nylon thread shopping selections are listed in commercial sizes. Occasionally we have some off sizes. When this happens, we use the closest Tex Equivalent to the commercial size. Government sizes fall under Military Specification A-A-59826 (Formerly VT-295E). We also have more information about yards per spool under related topic: Spool Sizes.
Nylon - Size 15 Commercial
Size 15 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards
Nylon - Size 33 Commercial
Size 33 Tkt Equivalent: 80 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 46 Commercial
Size 46 Tkt Equivalent: 60 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 69 Commercial
Size 69 Tkt Equivalent: 40 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 92 Commercial
Size 92 Tkt Equivalent: 30 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 138 Commercial
Size 138 Tkt Equivalent: 20 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 207 Commercial
Size 207 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 277 Commercial
Size 277 Tkt Equivalent: 10 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 346 Commercial
Size 346 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 415 Commercial
Size 415 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards Nylon - Size 554 Commercial
Size 554 Average Strength Average Thickness Needle Nominal Yards
Nylon Thread Information -
All Topics
Thread Size to Material Ounces
The material that you are sewing costs far more than the thread. In most cases (with the exception of parachutes) it is better for the thread to break than to have the stitches pull through the fabric. This means that the weight of the fabric, in ounces per square yard, is the best way to determine thread size. Here are size recommendations for fabric and leather.
Fabric Ounce to Yard and Thread Size Range 2 to 6 Ounce Fabric: Nylon Thread Sizes 15 to 33 8 to 10 Ounce Fabric: Nylon Thread Sizes 69 to 92 Comments 1 to 8 Ounce Leather: Nylon Thread Sizes 33 to 207 12 to 16 Ounce Leather: Nylon Thread Sizes 207 to 346 Comments
Nylon Thread Information -
All Topics Related Topic -
Use by Size Guide
Nylon Thread Spool Sizes
We sell most of our nylon thread in 4 and 16 Ounce (1 Pound) spool sizes or putups. The smaller putups cost more per ounce than the larger ones. But, they are a better choice for one-time jobs, casual sewing, people who need a stash of many colors, and experimenters.Nylon thread is sold by weight (ounces, pounds) - not yards. This is because the number of yards-per-pound decreases as thread thickness increases. Selling by weight means prices for a given size spool are about the same across most thread sizes.
Industry norms allow nylon thread spool weights to vary by plus/minus 10% from the stated nominal weight. This means that customers get slightly less or slightly more thread than the nominal weight shown on our site. This chart shows our nominal weights and the thread-weight range ( including the spool's weight ) for various sizes. When spools fall within these ranges, we do not charge for when they go over or refund for when they go under. It is important to note that we usually do not charge when a spool goes over the maximum tolerance, but we will always refund when they go below the tolerance.
Nominal 2 Oz Spool
Nominal 6 Oz Spool
Nominal 12 Oz Spool
Although 4 and 16 ounce spools are by far our most common spool sizes, other spool sizes are occasionally available. Even if a particular spool size is unavailable, this chart can help to estimate the amount of thread needed, or what is left on an already used spool. 2 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 3,500 Size 69 - 750 Size 207 - 250 Size 415 - 130 4 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 7,000 Size 69 - 1,500 Size 207 - 500 Size 415 - 260 6 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 10,500 Size 69 - 2,250 Size 207 - 750 Size 415 - 390 8 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 14,000 Size 69 - 3,000 Size 207 - 1,000 Size 415 - 525 12 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 21,000 Size 69 - 4,500 Size 207 - 1,500 Size 415 - 760 16 Ounce Spools Size 15 - 28,000 Size 69 - 6,000 Size 207 - 2,000 Size 415 - 1,050
All of our nylon thread is wound on king spools unless otherwise noted. Most of our 2 and 4 ounce spools are wound in-house, and the spool sizes are consistent for those. Normally, manufacturer spool dimensions are consistent. There are some times one-off occasions where manufacturers will wind 12 and 16 ounce spools with different heights, but the base dimensions remain constant. Average Spool Dimensions Average Spool Dimensions Inside Diameter Comments Nylon Thread Information -
All Topics Use the Use by Size chart to find the best size nylon thread for many projects. It's also a great tool for new project ideas. This chart also makes recommendations for types of thread that may be better suited in some cases. Selections in Bold are the most popular, and link to our shopping selections. In most cases, links in the notes sections link to related information pages unless otherwise noted.
Nylon Thread Shopping Selections
Nylon Thread - Size 15 / Tex 16 / Govt. 00
- Use with needle sizes 70/10 to 80/12
Nylon Thread - Size 33 / Tex 35 / Govt. AA
- Use with needle sizes 80/12 to 90/14
Nylon Thread - Size 46 / Tex 45 / Govt. B
- Use with needle sizes 90/14 to 100/16
Nylon Thread - Size 69 / Tex 70 / Govt. E
- Use with needle sizes 100/16 to 110 /18
Nylon Thread - Size 92 / Tex 90 / Govt. F
- Use with needle sizes 110/18 to 125/20
Nylon Thread - Size 138 / Tex 135 / Govt. FF - Use with needle sizes 125/20 to 140/22
Nylon Thread - Size 207 / Tex 210 / Govt. 3-Cord - Use with needle sizes 140/22 to 180/24
Nylon Thread - Size 277 / Tex 270 / Govt. 4-Cord - Use with needle sizes 180/24 to 230/26
Nylon Thread - Size 346 / Tex 350 / Govt. 5-Cord - Use with needle sizes 230/26 to 260/28
Nylon Thread - Size 415 / Tex 410 / Govt. 6-Cord - Use with needle sizes 280/28 to 330/30
Nylon Thread - Size 554 / Tex 600 / Govt. 8-Cord - Use with needle sizes 330/30 to 360/32
Nylon Thread Information -
All Topics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Related Products |
||
|
|
Polyester Thread SizesSize 15 - Use needle sizes 70/10 to 80/12Size 33 - Use needle sizes 80/12 to 90/14 Size 46 - Use needle sizes 90/14 to 100/16 Size 69 - Use needle sizes 100/16 to 110 /18 Size 92 - Use needle sizes 110/18 to 125/20 Size 138 - Use needle sizes 125/20 to 140/22 Size 207 - Use needle sizes 140/22 to 180/24 Size 277 - Use needle sizes 180/24 to 230/26 Size 346 - Use needle sizes 230/26 to 260/28 Size 415 - Use needle sizes 280/28 to 330/30 Size 554 - Use needle sizes 330/30 to 360/32 Polyester Thread on Small Spools Polyester Thread Cases Polyester Hand Stitching Tubes Monocord and Non-Wicking Polyester Thread Information |
Bobbin StylesHalf Price Bobbin SpecialsAll Bobbins Style A (Class 15) Style G Style L Style M Style U Style 41 Style 58 Other Styles - CloseoutStyle DStyle F Style MA Style N Bobbin Buying Guide Machine / Style Reference |
